Edmonton Youth Arrested for Terrorism-Related Offence

A 15-year-old Edmonton youth who authorities say is associated with a violent online network that preys on children, has been apprehended by the RCMP for a terrorism-related offence.

RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region’s National Security Enforcement Team arrested the youth on May 12, police said in a May 29 press release.

The youth has been remanded into custody and police have initiated proceedings “by way of a terrorism peace bond” as stipulated by a provision of the Criminal Code that addresses concerns about a potential terrorist act being committed, police said.

“Investigators fear the youth will commit terrorism offences related to the COM/764 violent online network,” police said. “The 764 network is a transnational online ecosystem of violent online predators who routinely lure youth, particularly those in vulnerable sectors, and encourage them to commit sexual acts, self-harm, and the torture of animals.”

A peace bond gives the authorities permission to monitor individuals who seem to be at risk of committing a crime, even in the absence of concrete evidence of an actual offence.

The youth is scheduled to appear for a bail hearing in Edmonton on June 3. The name and gender of the youth cannot be released under the statutes of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

“As the criminal investigation is ongoing and before the courts, the RCMP will not be making further comments at this time,” the press release said.

Elements of The Com/764 network have been identified as having extreme ideological beliefs, including the targeting of children by desensitizing and radicalizing them toward violence, police said.

The network is known to stalk gaming platforms such as Minecraft and Roblox in a bid to draw victims between the ages of eight and 17 into private online discussions on encrypted communications platforms like Discord and Telegram, the RCMP said. 

Predators employ grooming techniques that may involve forming trusting or romantic connections, or using power or coercive methods to compel victims to participate in violence, self-harm, or “gore” activities, police said. Such incidents intensify over time, with some progressing more swiftly than others, as the predator persuades the child to engage in actions that increasingly induce shame, implicate, or isolate them, rendering them more vulnerable to further exploitation.

Key indicators that a child has been targeted by members of The Com network include worsening performance at school, becoming more quiet and withdrawn, or excessively moody and on edge, police said. Other signs to watch for are spending more time on the internet unsupervised or alone in their room, pets being harmed or dying suspiciously, and an increased interest in Nazism, school shootings, serial killers, or occultism.

A full list of the warning signs can be found here.

“In the face of networks like 764—which includes youth perpetrators targeting other vulnerable young people online—education is our first line of defense, empowering young people to recognize manipulation, resist extremism, and reclaim the internet as a space for growth, not grooming,” the RCMP said in its press release.

It recommends parents maintain open communication with their children about healthy online relationships. The RCMP also suggest monitoring their online activities, promoting online safety, and becoming familiar with all apps and technology children are using.